CW® County Player Of The Week - Alfonso Thomas

Somerset's South African fast bowler Alfonso Thomas has been named as the Cricket World® County Player Of The Week after he took nine wickets in three Friends Provident t20 matches.

Thomas has performed imporant death-bowling duties for Somerset, who by the end of the week, had launched themselves into second place in the South Group as they bid for a quick return to Finals Day having been runners-up in 2009.

Thomas' first impressive performance of the week came against Essex, when he took three for 24, dismissing Ravi Bopara, Grant Flower and Tim Phillips as Essex were restricted to 177 for seven, although they would go on to win the game by ten runs.

Two days later, back in action against rivals Gloucestershire, Thomas returned three for 41 to hold Gloucestershire to 199 for eight. After Thomas removed Steve Snell, Alex Gidman and Steve Kirby, Somerset chased down the runs to take a six-wicket win.

Thomas completed a successful week for him and his club by dismissing Kent's Sam Northeast, Azhar Mahmood and Matt Coles as Somerset wrapped up an 84-run win.

Leading wicket-taker Thomas now has 16 wickets in the competition, two clear of his nearest challengers as the tournament approaches its halfway stage.

Some of the other contenders for the weekly award were Durham's Ross Taylor, Nottinghamshire's David Hussey and Lancashire's Tom Smith.